Breaking News: Asia

Trump rejigs tariff rates ahead of deadline, levies 40% duties on all transshipped goods
U.S. President Donald Trump points a finger as he delivers remarks in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 31, 2025. Kent Nishimura | Reuters U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday that modified “reciprocal” tariffs on dozens of countries, with updated duties ranging from 10% to 41%. […]
Read More
Asia-Pacific markets fall after Trump modifies tariff rates
Asia-Pacific markets start the day lower Asia-Pacific markets started the day lower Friday. Japan’s Nikkei 225 benchmark fell 0.65%, while the broader Topix index was flat as of 8:15 a.m. Singapore time (8:15 p.m. ET Thursday). In South Korea, the Kospi index dropped 1.73%, while the small-cap Kosdaq declined by 2.1%. Over in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 benchmark […]
Read More
Asia-Pacific markets trade mixed as investors assess U.S.’ 15% tariffs on South Korea; await Bank of Japan’s rate decision
Asia-Pacific markets start the day mixed Asia-Pacific markets opened mixed Thursday. Japan’s Nikkei 225 benchmark moved up 0.21% while the broader Topix index ticked up 0.28%, as of 8.10 a.m. Singapore time (8.10 p.m. ET Wednesday). In South Korea, the Kospi index fell 0.14% while the small-cap Kosdaq was flat. Over in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 benchmark fell […]
Read More
Trump announces trade deal with South Korea, setting tariffs at 15%
File photo: US President Donald Trump gestures during a joint press conference in South Korea. Afp Contributor | Afp | Getty Images U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that Washington had reached a “Full and Complete” trade deal with Seoul, setting blanket tariffs on the country’s exports to U.S. at 15%. This deal means […]
Read More
HSBC announces $3 billion share buyback after second-quarter profit plunges 29%, missing expectations
A view of the logo of HSBC bank on a wall outside a branch in Mexico City, Mexico, on June 14, 2024. Henry Romero | Reuters Europe’s largest lender HSBC on Wednesday missed second-quarter profit expectations, mostly on account of impairment charges, according to the bank. The bank also announced a share buyback of $3 […]
Read More
Australia’s second-quarter inflation drops to lowest since March 2021, supporting case for rate cut
Michele Bullock, governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), speaks during a news conference at the bank’s head office in Sydney, Australia, on Tuesday, Apr. 1, 2025. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Australia’s headline inflation rate in the second quarter of the year slipped to its lowest point since March 2021, coming in […]
Read More
Singapore warns of slowdown in second half of the year as it keeps monetary policy steady
Singapore retains its title as the most expensive city for high-net-worth-individuals, according to Julius Baer’s 2025 Global Wealth and Lifestyle report. Deejpilot | E+ | Getty Images Singapore’s central bank warned that the city-state’s economy is “projected to moderate in the second half of 2025 from its strong pace in [the first half],” as it […]
Read More
Asia-Pacific markets poised for mixed open as traders await details of U.S-China talks
Here are the opening calls for the day Good morning from Singapore. Investors will be keeping a close watch on Chinese markets following reports that the country will resume trade talks with the U.S. in Stockholm on Monday to discuss longstanding economic disputes. The talks will be led by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese […]
Read More
South Korea avoids technical recession as GDP expands 0.6% in second quarter
View across the Hangang River in Seoul, South Korea. Universal History Archive | Universal Images Group | Getty Images South Korea avoided a technical recession as its economy expanded 0.6% from the previous quarter, according to advance estimates, beating expectations. This was higher than the 0.5% expected by economists polled by Reuters, and a reversal […]
Read More
Asia-Pacific markets rise after Wall Street benchmarks hit record highs
Japan’s Nikkei 225 share average rises in early trade Japan’s rose in early trade Tuesday, as markets reopened after the ruling party lost its majority in the upper house over the weekend. The 225-stock share average advanced 1.12% to hit 40,254.18 at 9.17 a.m. local time (8.17 p.m. ET Monday), while the broader Topix index added […]
Read More